Magnetic gauge for sewing machines



Jan. 1966 KAORU YOSHIDA MAGNETIC GAUGE FOR SEWING MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1956 INVENTOR.

YOSHIDH u R M K Jan. 11, 1966 KAORU YOSHIDA 3,228,365

MAGNETIC GAUGE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. K14 ORU V06 H IDA United States Patent 3,228,365 MAGNETICGAUGE FOR SEWING MACHINES Kaoru Yoshida, Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture,Japan, as-

signor to Unity Sewing Supply Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporationof New York Filed Jan. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 423,760 2 Claims. (Cl. 112-153)This invention relates generally to sewing machines and moreparticularly to a new and useful improvement in a gauge for positioningthe material relative to the needle for positioning lines of stitchingrelative to the edge of the material.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic materialgauge for guiding the position of material relative to the needle thatis readily movable toward or away from the needle for providing avariety of different width sizes for rows of stitching and scams.

Another object of the invention is to provide a material gauge of thiskind that ensures exact widths and straight accurate seams with no lossof time.

A further object is to provide a magnetic gauge of this kind that isespecially adapted for use on dresses, blouses, skirts, coats, suits,shirts, sportswear, childrens wear, sweaters and the like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic materialgauge that is simple in construction, with no parts to get out of order,efiicient in operation, trouble-free in performance and ecnomical tomanufacture.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a fragment of a sewing machinewith a material gauge embodying the present invention shown in operativeposition thereon.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the material gauge.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a spread perspective view thereof, parts being shown brokenaway.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a fragment of a bed plate of a sewingmachine and a throat plate with a material gauge embodying a modifiedform of the invention shown positioned on the plate.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the material gauge.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 5.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1a portion of a sewing machine is illustrated including a metal bed plate10, a slidable metal throat plate 12, reciprocating needle 14 andpresser foot 16. A rectangular strip of cloth 18 to be seamed is shownstretched across the bed plate and throat plate with one seam 20 alreadyfinished and a second seam 22 in the process of being made.

A material gauge 26 made in accordance with the present invention isshown positioned on the bed plate in operative position for gauging thewidth of the second seam 22 from the finished seam and from the longedge 28 of the strip of material.

The material gauge 26 comprises a shallow pan-shaped steel casing 29having narrow side Walls 30, 30, a curved end wall 32 and a flatstraight end wall 34, the bottom of the casing as viewed in FIG. 1 beingopen. The flat end wall 34 is formed with integral fiat extensions 36,36 terminating in slightly curved extremities 38 extending toward thebody of the casing. The wall 34 and 3,228,365 Patented Jan. 11, 1966extensions 36, 36 constitute a straight edge. A rectangular block 40 ofpermanent magnetic material is seated in the casing 28 with the outerflat surface 42 thereof flush with the outer surfaces 44 of the sidewalls 30, 30. The casing is wider than the block leaving a clearance 31on each long side of the block. The block is clamped in the casing bymeans of a semicircular block 46 of rubber inserted between theSouth-pole end of the block 40 and the curved end wall 32 and by a fiatrectangular shaped block of rubber 48 inserted between the otherNorth-pole end of the block and the fiat end wall 34. A hole 50 isformed in the center of the permanent magnet 40. The rubber clampingblocks 44 and 46 protrude outwardly slightly beyond the outer edges ofthe side and end walls of the casing as best seen in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7.

In use, the gauge 26 is placed on the metal bed plate 10 with its openside opening downwardly so that the permanent magnet 40 may be attractedby the bed plate. The gauge is then moved along the bed plate toward oraway from the needle 14 the desired predetermined distance and the stripof material to be stitched such as the strip 18 is brought into contactwith the straight edge constituted by the flat end wall 34 andextensions 36, 36 of the gauge, the length of the wall and extensionsproviding sufiicient area to straighten out the strip 18. Once the gaugeis positioned, it cannot he accidentally displaced.

A slightly modified form of material gauge 26' is shown in FIG. 5positioned on a throat plate 12 slidable in a bed plate 10. The throatplate 12' is substantially rectangular in shape with a recess 52adjacent one end thereof for insertion of the tip of the finger of theuser for sliding the plate. The other end of the plate 12' is curved asindicated at 54 and spaced grooves 56 are formed in the top surfacethereof to provide settings for the gauge and such grooves may beidentified in quarter inches. Inwardly of the grooves, the plate isformed with a needle hole 58 and a series of parallel slots 60 adjacentthe needle hole. Instead of grooves 56, colored lines may be used.

The material gauge 26' differs from the gauge 26 merely in that the bodyof the magnetic block 40' is imperforate, that is, it has no center holesuch as the hole 50 in block 40. Otherwise gauge 26 is similar to gauge26 and similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.

In using gauge 26', the gauge is slid along the top surface of thethroat plate 12' until its straight edge is posi tioned the desiredpredetermined distance from the needle hole 60. The strip of material tobe stitched is then brought into alignment with the straight edgewhereupon the seam will be stitched at the desired position.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patentis:

1. A material gauge for use with the needle hole of a throat plate of asewing machine, said gauge comprising a shallow rectangular pan-shapedcasing having a top wall, side walls and being open at the bottom, atleast one permanent magnet inside the casing and exposed through saidbottom opening, and means for securing the magnet in the casing, onewall of the casing constituting a straight edge adapted to be spaced apredetermined distance from the needle hole.

2. A material gauge for use with the needle hole of a throat plate of asewing machine, said gauge comprising a shallow rectangular pan-shapedcasing having a top wall, side walls and end walls and being open at thebottom, a rectangular block of permanent magnetic material inside thecasing and exposed through said bottom opening, said block being oflesser width than the casing providing a clearance on each long side ofthe block, one end wall of .the casing being fiat and straight andhaving integral extensions at both ends, the other end wall beingcurved, said flat wall and extensions constituting a straight edgeadapted to be spaced a predetermined distance from the needle hole,means for clamping the magnetic block to the casing including a fiatrectangular rubber block inserted between the flat end wall and one endof the magtween the curved end wall and the other end of the magneticblock, said rubber blocks extending slightly outwardly of the outersurface of the magnetic block, for cushioning the casing in position onthe throat plate.

References Cited by the Examiner FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

netic block, and a semi-circular rubber block inserted be- 15 ROBERT V.SLOAN, Examiner.

1. A MATERIAL GAUGE FOR USE WITH THE NEEDLE HOLE OF A THROAT PLATE OF ASEWING MACHINE, SAID GAUGE COMPRISING A SHALLOW RECTANGULAR PAN-SHAPEDCASING HAVING A TOP WALL, SIDE WALLS AND BEING OPEN AT THE BOTTOM, ATLEAST ONE PERMANENT MAGNET INSIDE THE CASING AND EXPOSED THROUGH SAIDBOTTOM OPENING, AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE MAGNET IN THE CASING, ONEWALL OF THE CASING CONSTITUTING A STRAIGHT EDGE ADAPTED TO BE SPACED APREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE NEEDLE HOLE.